Best Use of Mandolin in Rock

[SelfDevouringSnake]

What is the best rock song with a prominently featured mandolin in it?

[journeybear]

I don't mean to sound nitpicky, but as a songwriter and writer I pay a lot of attention to meaning and clarity in language. You see, it seems to me these are two different if related questioins. The thread title concerns playing or arranging; the question as stated is more about songwriting.

That said, I usually point to what Jimmy Ryan does on Cheri Knight's "Rose In The Thorn" on her "Northeast Kingdom" album as a prime example of how a mandolin can and should be used in a rock song. It isn't even so much about the notes as the tone. It sounds like more than just a mandolin with a pickup on it - it sounds like a whole new instrument, transformed the way Les Paul, Leo Fender, and others created a new instrument with the electric guitar. It's obscure but worth seeking out, as is the whole album. Oh, and it qualifies for both considerations I mentioned.

For a great and long list of songs with mandolin, read this thread - all the way through. Thanks to a lot of contributors for this. It shows up more often than a lot of people think.

[SelfDevouringSnake]

I see your point. It could go either way, just wanted to know if there were any good rock songs with the mandolin being used as a lead instrument.
Thanks for the thread.

[journeybear]

That's all right. It's a worthy question. Hope I didn't overdo it - I've been known to ...

Oh, and hey - Welcome to the Café!

[Jim MacDaniel]

Definitely read the link JB provided, but I'm another Jimmy Ryan fan here. Though I loved the Blood Oranges, my favorite work of his in a rock format is on Blood Oranges band-mate Cheri Knight's aforementioned CD, as well as on his first solo CD Lost Diamond Angel -- plus I love his mandolin work on Morphine's track In Spite of Me, on Cure for Pain.

Plus three of my favorite rock tracks with mandolin in it are:
Peter Mulvey - If Love is not Enough
Widespread Panic - Pickin' up the Pieces
The Waterboys - Fishermans Blues

[Shawn Gambrel]

Im thinking copperhead road by steve earle or is that country .

[Ed Goist]

My vote goes to Eddie Vedder's Rise.

A great rock song featuring only vocals and mandolin. Here's a video from a recent live performance:

[MikeEdgerton]

Gotta be Ray Jackson's spot in Maggie May.

[journeybear]

Yeah, I know, there's no denying ... and also REM's "Losing My Religion." Those were enormous hits for good reason, and mandolin was a key element in both. That's a great article, Mike; thanks for posting it. A must read for anyone interested in this subject.

Here's that Cheri Knight - Rose In The Vine. Geez - can't remember the name of one of my favorite songs ... gotta listen to this stuff more often! And thanks for the corroboration, Jim. Sometimes I think I'm all alone in the wilderness when I talk about the great but obscure music I love so much. Glad to know others feel the same way.

02 Rose in the Vine..mp3

[Rodney Riley]

"Maggie May", one of the reason I play the mando. Don't forget Bruce Hornsby's "Mandolin Rain".

[Bernie Daniel]

"Maggie May", one of the reason I play the mando. Don't forget Bruce Hornsby's "Mandolin Rain".

Maggie May is not the reason I play mandolin -- but love that Ray Jackson break -- I was in the Army at the time (1972) with only months left to serve and the song kind of sounded like "freedom" at the time. Oddly enough I did get into mandolins only about 6 months later though -- but it was because of bluegrass

BTW the story of Ray Jackson after that famous mandolin bit on a block buster song is not too gratifying.

Did the Bruce Hornsby Mandolin rain recording really feature the mandolin? There were some mandolin sounds in it for sure but wasn't the actual recording almost entirely vocal and piano breaks? Did the mandolin ever play a solo on that cut?

I'll cast a vote for the Hall and Oates duet -- "Lady Rain". The mandolin is the featured instrument in much of this tune.

Another rock tune often mentioned is The Ballad of Easy Rider --by The Byrds -- but again the mandolin hardly heard in it -- at least the movie version.

You got a hemi in that THAWNG?

[Jim Broyles]

I did not read the thread thoroughly, but I wanted to get my 2¢ in - it is not "Losing My Religion," "Dance Tonight,"or any Hooters' song, or "Copperhead Road," or any other song in which the mandolin is a rhythm instrument. You can get that effect with a capoed twelve string. I'd say "Maggie May" comes to mind as the only song I can think of which actually features a lead mandolin. Ricky Skaggs did some stuff in his "country" years in the late 70s/ early 80s which featured the mandolin in rockin' songs, but I guess those don't count for this question.

[Alex Orr]

I'll also add votes for "Losing My Religion" and "Maggie May".

I'm surprised that no one has included "Battle of Evermore"...happily surprised. I'm not much of a Zep fan, but even back when I was a teenage Zep obsessee that tune always sounded nails-on-chalkboard awful to me.

[Bernie Daniel]

I'll also add votes for "Losing My Religion" and "Maggie May".

I'm surprised that no one has included "Battle of Evermore"...happily surprised.....that tune always sounded nails-on-chalkboard awful to me.

That's a big "ten-four"! And go on YouTube and there are dozens of folks trying there hand at that "number".

[Elliot Luber]

I think Losing My Religion comes close to Maggie Mae in terms of presenting mandolin to a mass audience, but Maggie wins hands down as a lead that puts an okay song on fire. I didn't know what a mandolin was when I first heard that song, yet I was hooked on it. It's a shame Rod Stewart didn't give Ray his due.

[Jason Kessler]

I may be wrong, but I don't think there's ANY mandolin in Bruce Hornsby's "Mandolin Rain."

[John Flynn]

One that doesn't get mentioned much, but always pops into my mind when thinking of rock and the mandolin, is Stevie Winwood's mandolin playing on "Back in the High Life"

[Jim MacDaniel]

...I'm surprised that no one has included "Battle of Evermore"...happily surprised. I'm not much of a Zep fan, but even back when I was a teenage Zep obsessee that tune always sounded nails-on-chalkboard awful to me.

LOL -- BOE should the on the mandolin equivalent of that sign at the guitar store in Wayne's World that said "No Stairway..."

[journeybear]

When in doubt, go back to the OP:

What is the best rock song with a prominently featured mandolin in it?

Nothing specified about lead or rhythm, or just ambience. So I think "Losing My Religion" counts.

You can get that effect with a capoed twelve string...

That's not the question, though.

It's a shame Rod Stewart didn't give Ray his due.

I think that in a way Rod did Ray a favor. Would people still be chatting about this nearly forty years on if Rod had simply listed his name, instead of making a bit of a joke at Ray's expense? Doubt it.

Did the Bruce Hornsby Mandolin rain recording really feature the mandolin?

I may be wrong, but I don't think there's ANY mandolin in Bruce Hornsby's "Mandolin Rain."

Glad someone else mentioned this, because I sure am tired of pointing it out. I admit it's been a long, long time since I've listened to this, and I could only find live versions at youtube - one of which had a mandolin player who saw buried in the mix - but I never could hear a mandolin. At least there is mandolin in "Mandolin Wind."

[Rodney Riley]

"Maggie May", listened to it while racing around in my 1970 Super Bee (383 Magnum, 4-speed. Sold it. New owner tried to do the Dukes of Hazard jump over a railroad track.) Had a new girl friend (celebrated 35 years with her the 14th), a job (worked 2 more places and spent 33 yrs 9 months at the last one) and my brother was home from Vietnam. (Now lives about 13 miles away) Everything was right with my world. Didn't pick up the mando though till 28 years later.

"In 1986 David Mansfield was an initial member of Bruce Hornsby and the Range, including playing the title instrument on the hit "Mandolin Rain". However he left the Range before their first tour." from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Mansfield There are some tremolo's @ "from the chill", "running down by the lake shore", "But, I can't change my mind" and at the end of the song. Really hard to hear because he blends in with the piano. I have to use earphones with my ipod to hear the mando Since he left the band, may be why he doesn't show up on youtube

And yes Bernie, it has a Hemi.

Dash Crofts of "Seals and Crofts" played the mandolin in a lot of their songs. Love the Diamond Girl album.

[journeybear]

Well, OK, glad it's there (thanks!), but I don't think that qualifies as "prominently featured."

I mentioned "Mandolin Wind" before, and Rod Stewart did have mandolin on a few songs back then - "Gasoline Alley," eh, drawing a blank here - but they weren't as rocking as "Maggie May."

[Rodney Riley]

Should have paid more attention to post #3, "used as a lead instrument". My bad.

[journeybear]

I dunno ... not my thread. There's a difference between posts #1 and #3. Personally, I think it's a more important consideration that the mandolin be used as a key element, regardless of its role as lead or rhythm instrument, or even as in my first example, where it's really neither, but more as a textural device. Like rock itself, we're making it up as we go along, throwing different things onto the wall to see what sticks.

[Ian Rossiter]

Gotta be "Losing My Religon". "Glory Days" by Springsteen has a cool Mando break in it too. "Copperhead Road has that great intro,but after the song kicks in,it gets lost iin the mix.

[mandolirius]

Check out Matt Mundy's work with Col. Bruce Hampton & the Aquarium Rescue Unit.